The Fall of Vequera

Chapter twenty-one | Koa

Note: dialogue in italics is in Feygani

LOCATION: EASTCLIFF, ELER

YEAR: 621 C.E

FIVE MONTHS LATER...

HE HATED WINTER.

Only pain and death seem to follow after it. Snowfall surrounded him as he walked through the empty woods outside of Eastcliff. Koa liked being alone but to what cost of the people around him? He only returned to Eastcliff if his mother needed him and to train Valia who had been avoiding since their last conversation. The voice had been revealed to be Elder Senka's eldest sister. Born of ash. Before the dark ages. A time of peace between Eler and Vequera. When his family dined with kings. He knew they had been looking into her more, but he had asked his mother what they had found about her or her gift. He lifted himself up into one of the trees. He climbed until he was high enough to see over the trees.

His legs dangled as he studied his surroundings to make sure no one was following him. Belio cawed above him, circling the sky around him. 'Two people up ahead.' Belio spoke to him in Feygani. Koa nodded. A pair of footsteps ran under him, and he peered down at them, but they had not figured out he was there. He looked closer and realized it was his cousins, Enzo and Koen. Twins. He laid his back against the bark of the tree and listened to their conversation.

"She's quite the beauty but her temper won't get her anywhere." Enzo said in a frustrated tone.

"She isn't that bad." Koen argued back as he kicked at the snow under him. The crunching sound made Koa wince.

"Valia punched Aeris because they said something to Nyra about her gift. It took Drystan awhile to calm her down. She went crazy over a small insult."

Koa chuckled at the image of Valia standing up for Nyra. Those two had grown quite fond of each in the last five months. Valia treated Nyra like a sister and protected her like one. Even at times when she refused to show it. He would have to talk to Nyra about the bullying. Nyra had always had trouble realizing when someone was talking down to her. Aeris seemed to be bullying her for some time.

"Aeris shouldn't have said Nyra was dumb and she needed to stop acting like a child. The princess would've never done anything to her,"

"Why are you taking up for her?" Enzo snapped as he glared at his twin brother.

They stopped walking and Enzo glanced around him. Koa narrowed his eyes. The breeze brushed against the bare of his cheek. He sighed. "I'm not. I just think you're being unreasonable."

"You want to fuck her, don't you?" Enzo questioned as he threw his shoulder over Koen who rolled his eyes. A smirk appeared on Enzo's face as he wrapped his arm around him. Koen immediately pushed Enzo's arm off him and grumbled under his breath. But he did not denial the question. Koa made a noise of discomfort and he picked at his trousers.

"That's the only reason you would care. You're blushing."

"I'm cold. We should head back now." Koen exclaimed loudly as he quickly walked from his brother. Enzo chased after him as a series of lewd comments came from him, making Koa roll his eyes.